“My mom’s car is still in the driveway when I head out the door in the morning, which means I have to maneuver my Jeep around it to avoid hacking a side mirror off.”

“I wasn’t lying to Zach.”

“I’m surprised to see Kim’s car still in the driveway when I get home, parked haphazardly, the wheels on the right side halfway into the flower garden, which would mean nothing except the dining room lights are on, too.”

“I always like to do some research into the person I’m about to sleep with.”

“The next morning, I pretend I’m surprised to see Kim home, even though I heard her thump into the house sometime after midnight.”

“I’m vaguely aware when I walk into home economics later that day that I’m not anonymous in this class, and not because of my barely there outfit.”

“Her name is Faye.”

“I’m almost grateful to Angela for dragging me to Charlie’s soccer game after school the next day, more for the distraction than anything else.”

“I showered,” he says when I open the door to him waiting in full-on formal wear: a dress shirt, dress pants, and a tie, almost like this is a date.”

“The morning after Don Wannabe, I’m feeling especially on edge.”

“In addition to prayer group and regular Sunday service, Angela and Charlie are part of a youth group that meets at church every weekend.”

“I’m woken up by two things: Jeremy’s morning wood poking into my back and a loud knocking on my door.”

“I end up getting to Faye’s ten minutes late, because her house is totally hidden from view of the street and dwarfed by bigger houses on both sides.”

“Faye doesn’t mention dinner when I see her during chemistry on Monday, but the way she puts her hand on my arm and leans her face so close to mine that our safety goggles touch makes me hyperaware of everything she does.”

“I didn’t bank on Kim being home when Charlie comes over, and I definitely didn’t expect to find Charlie seated at the kitchen table with her, drinking what must be her smelly detox tea and smiling broadly, like he always has tea after school with people’s moms.”

“I have a revelation the next morning in the unlikeliest place.”

“After the kitchen is clean, I know I should start my home economics assignment, the one I haven’t even chosen a topic for yet.”